Is there a certain grade of aluminum to use for engraving?

[pkund]

I am trying to engrave on 6061 aluminum and using Cermark coating. It does not seem to be engraving deep or sometimes not at all. I have tried more power, lower speed and greater LPI. No luck.
Thanks,
Paul

[jbv]

The glowforge (or any 40-watt c02 laser for that matter) will not actually engrave into aluminum. It can make marks by removing coatings like anodization, paint, and powdercoat. It can also make marks using coatings like cermark, fusing the coating to the metal, but there will not be any “depth” to the engraving.
I haven’t used Cermark, but my notes on it suggest that the LMM6000 does not work as well as the LMM14 for marks on aluminum. Not sure which product you are using.
Also in my notes for it are to clean the surface very well with rubbing alcohol prior to applying the cermark.

[rvogt]

I’ve used Cermark and haven’t had any issues. It doesn’t really ‘engrave’ but reacts with it and i think it’s more ‘raised’ than engraved. I have engraved on some aluminum blank bracelets but not sure what type (i.e. 6061) of aluminum it is…

[jbv]

Do you remember which cermark product you used?

[primal_healer]

Maybe there is a coating or residue on the aluminum? might need to adjust your surface prep in order to get it to fuse properly? Just guesses tho

[rvogt]

I’m out of town right now but I’ll try to take a look at it when i get home!

[Angie.C]

This question is outside our team’s scope. I’ve moved it to the Beyond the Manual so the discussion can continue there.

[rvogt]

I have the CerMark LMM-14.

[jbv]

cool, that tracks with my notes saying the LMM-14 is the better choice for aluminum.